Where to start?

[Dr. Rose]

Hello Everyone,

I'm happy to have found Quantnet and I will continue exploring the great resources this community has to offer in time. I was hoping to get some advice on my background, strengths and weaknesses, to see if my profile shows some potential for quantitative finance and where I can start improving. Finding my developmental level in this profession seemed like an all too complicated goal until Quantnet arrived so I appreciate the advice ahead of time!

Academic:
BS- Mathematical Economics, Minors in Comparative Linguistics, Semi-Target
Resident Tutor Quantitative Methods (QM), Undergraduate to PHD level statistics, econometrics, decision-making analysis, research methodology, etc.
Consulted in free time for MBA and MS candidates mostly using my skills in QM for business/research problems.... creatively applied concepts to real situations.

Work Experience:
Leveraged QM Consulting network established in undergrad to full-time work as a small business management consultant.
Finance, boutique HF, mostly equity research but gained experience in several areas due to firm size and exposure to senior level.

What I think I lack:
Programming knowledge, I have a general understanding of the concepts and limitations but no actual experience
Industry knowledge
General Finance Education and Math Finance Education

I became more and more interested in Quant Finance after working with a boutique HF supporting investing and trading. In that role I was new to the finance industry, so although I had an education in economics, I consistently found myself thinking about problems/solutions in the market quantitatively and ways these ideas could be leveraged into programming. If any more info is needed to provide some guidance let me know! and Happy New Years!

 

[Dr. Rose]

Hey everyone, did I say something wrong?

 

[Ole Bueker]

Not much to say I guess - you already started the areas in which you lack knowledge. What else do you want to know? I would suggest to compare your profile to some of the (many) other profiles posted on this website as questions like yours come up nearly every day.

If you're looking for specific recommendations on books to study, there is a general master reading list which could be handy.

Otherwise I would just give you the same old advice:
Learning programming (preferably C++) and do some relevant project work with it.
Learn mathematics until you satisfy at least the minimum requirements for the MFE programs (if you're interested in joining one of those, you didn't state a clear goal that you're aiming for, or I might have missed it).